Big Island celebrates Hawaiian culture

The five-day festival kicks off at 7 p.m. with a concert by Napua Greig, a kumu hula (hula teacher) and 2008 Na Hoku Hanohano female vocalist of the year. [Waikoloa Bowl at Queens’ Gardens, $30, keiki under 5 free].

The week continues with an international hula competition and workshops from Hawaii cultural practitioners. You can learn to make Hawaiian musical instruments, weave lauhala, chant in Hawaiian and dance the hula.

A marketplace filled with made-in-Hawaii products will be set up at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott, Nov. 7 to 8. There will be Island fashion, hula-inspired art (pictured left), Hawaiian quilts, jewelry, Hawaii-grown chocolate and coffee, and more.

Best of all, admission is free.

For a complete schedule of events, click here, or call (808) 886-8822 or (808) 936-4853.

(Top): Courtesy of Moku O Keawe International Festival.(Above): Artwork by Kathy Long; third in a series of collectible posters.